


Fly Away, a Story of Love and Family

by eerian_sadow



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Mech Preg, Not Canon Compliant, Royalty AU, giftfic, rare shipswap, shipswap 2014, spark gestation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-16
Updated: 2014-04-16
Packaged: 2018-01-19 14:10:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1472671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thundercracker meets Jazz at his brother’s coronation.  They fall in love.  Starscream objects, loudly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fly Away, a Story of Love and Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Dellessa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dellessa/gifts).



> Written as part of the 2014 Rare Shipswap exchange. My recipient gave me a good list of "likes" and I picked the following to craft this fic:
> 
> ~Collected Drabbles that tell a bigger story. Interesting formatted stories.  
> ~Quirky AUs. _> I really like Mech-preg.   
> ~Jazz/Thundercracker (Transformers Generation One)
> 
>  
> 
> Some of my personal head canon slipped in, and I confess to borrowing elements from Dreamweave G1, Fall of Cybertron and TFA. It's still a G1 AU at heart, though. It does bear mentioning that Sentinel is NOT a Prime in this fic.

1.

“My Lord Prince, you must look your best for your brother’s coronation at mid-cycle.” Thundercracker’s body servant approached him with an armful of indigo cloak and the case that held his personal grooming kit. “You will also do well to look good in front of Lady Slipstream, if you intend to court her.”

“I don’t intend to court anyone.” The blue Seeker deliberately dodged away from his servant. “And I can wax myself, Sigil. I’m not some hatchling who needs everything done for him.”

Sigil frowned and followed his movements. “You may not be a hatchling, but your time in Iacon has clearly robbed you of your respect for my duties. Now hold still and let me polish you before your brother’s wrath comes down around both our wings.”

Thundercracker sighed and stopped dodging the mech. They both knew Starscream would turn Sigil out onto the streets if his services weren’t needed. “Fine. But just the polish and the cloak. I don’t need to look like Star dressed me today.”

 

2.

The Sun Priest droned on and Thundercracker found his attention wandering away from the coronation. He didn’t know _how_ Skywarp was managing to stand through it without figiting, but he admired his younger brother’s restraint. Starscream was likely to commit fratricide if Sky ruined his big day.

The middle prince let his gaze wander to the crowd, and realized that the pretty skydancer in the front row of witnesses--Diva of House Swift, if he remembered correctly--likely had something to do with Skywarp’s stillness. The dancer was paying attention to no one but the youngest prince of the House of Lords. As his gaze moved away, Thundercracker hoped the interest was genuine and not just a power play.

He froze when he saw the Praxian delegation. Not many ground frames would catch a Seeker’s attention, but he felt his intakes stall as he stared at the princes sitting in the front of their group. Their frames were different as night and day, sharing only a black and white color schem, the bright red marking of the royal house and the proud sensory wings all Praxians were built with, but they were both beautiful.

He must have stared longer than appropriate, because he caught the attention of the visored prince. The Praxian smiled at him, and Thundercracker couldn’t help but return the gesture.

 

3.

The ball being held for the new Winglord of Vos was filled with nobles of all shapes and frametypes, from the finely crafted flight frames of Seekers to the heavy fighting frames of Kaon. The room was a riot of color and a jumble of noise as mechs and femmes mingled and danced. It was awe inspiring; Vos hadn't seen a gathering of the leaders of Cybertron since the reign of Winglord Reacher, two hundred vorns previous. 

 

It would be the perfect opportunity to get to know the Praxian princes, if Thundercracker could just find them in the crowd.

"Do you dance, Prince Thundercracker?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

The blue Seeker turned to see the visored Praxian grinning up at him. The mech was shorter than he had looked while sitting down, but not enough to be classified as a minibot instead of a full-size mech. And he was still beautiful, especially with that smile. "Yeah. I mean, yes, I dance. Do you know this one?"

"Nope, but I do know the next one the band will be playing." The black and white mech's "common" response spoke of extended time spent outside the Praxian palace, and it pleased the Vosian to know they would have at least that much in common. "Discord's "Swingstep in Double Time," part one--but only because I don'don't know any other bots who can keep up with part two."

"I can, " Thundercracker told him. "I learned while I was at school in Iacon. So if you want to request the whole piece, I'd be willing to try it."

"Sounds great." The Praxian took his hand and tugged the Seeker toward the band stand. "Let's stick together til then. I hate to lose a willing dance partner. I'm Jazz, by the way. Second prince of the House of Praxus."

 

4.

"A grounder huh?" Skywarp smirked. "Star's gonna lose his mind."

"Like I didn't know that already," Thundercracker replied. "Thanks for being so supportive."

"I'm always supportive. But you know I'm right." The younger mech patted his brother on the shoulder consolingly. "And me asking for permission to bond to Diva is only going to distract him for about three kliks."

"Wait, you're getting bonded? I didn’t even know you were courting him."

"Well, you have been a little busy with your Praxian. And I really hope that works out for you. Prince Jazz makes you happier than I've seen you in a long time."

 

5.

Thundercracker smiled as Jazz cut through the crowd of well-wishers and made his way to the Seeker's side. "There you are."

"You knew I wouldn't miss out on seeing you." The Praxian took the taller mech's hand and squeezed it affectionately. "Thanks for inviting us. I know things have been rough between Vos and Praxus since your brother had that fight with our creator over the energon mines."

"Skywarp wanted you to come, no matter what our older brother thinks. He really likes you and Prowl."

"But not nearly as much as you, right?" 

"Not even close." Thundercracker used their linked hands to pull Jazz in closer, and leaned down to kiss him.

The black and white mech made a small surprised noise. Then he reached up and wrapped his free hand around the back of the blue mech's neck and held Thundercracker close as he returned the kiss.

They could hear the disapproving whispers of the other nobles--this was Skywarp’s bonding ceremony, after all--but they ignored them, content to be lost in each other for a while.

 

6.

"It is a very good match, Lord Starscream. Either of our brothers will be capable leaders and support if anything should happen to one of us." Prowl was calm in the face of Starscream's temper. "My people approve of Thundercracker and yours approve of Jazz. A bonding between them will unite our city-states, peacefully, for the first time since the rule of your Winglord Reacher. I do not understand your resistance, especially in light of the blessing of my creator and the Prime Himself."

"I do not want a grounder in my House," the red and blue Seeker replied bluntly. "Seekers belong with Seekers. Anything else pollutes our spark lines."

Prowl looked sadly at Jazz and Thundercracker, who were openly holding hands in defiance of Starscream's disapproval. Then he looked back to the young Winglord. "I see why you and my creator never come to any sort of agreement when you meet. I hope someday you understand that your wings do not exclude you from a need for cooperation and compromise with those of us who cannot fly."

"There is nothing I will ever need from _grounders_." Starscream's tone turned the word into an insult.

"Praxus still owns the energon mines." Prowl stood and bowed to Thundercracker. "Forgive me, Thundercracker. I was wrong to believe I could sway your brother with facts and logic. You will always be welcome in our house."

"Thanks for trying." The blue Seeker released his grip on his lover's hand so that Jazz could join his brother. "I’ll try to visit soon."

Jazz kissed Thundercracker quickly. "We're not done yet. I haven't given up on us."

"I know. I haven't either. Now go, before Star does something we'll regret."

 

7.

"My Lord, I have your things packed as you requested."

"Thank you, Sigil." Thundercracker stood up and adjusted the datapad sitting on top of his desk. "Make sure Starscream sees that tomorrow. And go see Skywarp. He and Diva will take you in before Star can throw you out."

"What about you, my Lord?" The servant clasped his hands in distress. "Who will care for your needs? The Praxians are a good people, but they don't know the first thing about flight frame maintenance."

"I can't ask you to leave your family."

"With respect, my Lord, my carrier has already prepared my belongings for the trip. I don't believe either of us get a choice in this matter."

The prince smiled slightly. "Then let's get going. I want to be in Praxus before the Winglord realizes I'm gone."

 

8.

"I cannot say that I agree with your choice to exile yourself among our people." The Praxian king frowned at Thundercracker and Sigil, "But Prowl's offer of a place in our house was sincere and you will be welcome here."

"Thank you, sir." Thundercracker bowed respectfully to Sentinel. "I am grateful; I know my presence will cause even more trouble with my brother."

"Leave Winglord Starscream to me. He will come to regret his foolishness soon enough." The large mech snapped his fingers, summoning someone the Seeker couldn't see. "Jazz, show your intended to his suites. I think Ricochet’s rooms will suit a Prince of Vos."

"I think you're right." The visored prince appeared at Thundercracker's side almost instantly and took the blue mech's hand. "Ricochet’s old rooms have a series of huge skylight and a great balcony. Not as high up as your aerie, but it's in the tallest tower in Praxus."

"You're giving me your twin's suites?" Thundercracker's spark clenched. Jazz had told him Ricochet had died the vorn before Starscream's coronation, and he was still healing from the loss. "You don't have to do that."

"You deserve the best. And Ricochet would want you to have them." Jazz smiled and tugged him toward the door. "We'll be back down in time for evening fuel, Creator."

 

9.

They planned a small bonding ceremony, timed for a rare sunrise over the palace. The Prime Himself, an old friend of King Sentinel, insisted on performing the ritual prayers and blessings. Sentinel hired the best confectioners and energon mixers to serve at the reception and bonding feast (a tradition Thundercracker wasn't familiar with, but Jazz swore he would enjoy) and Skywarp and Diva insisted on handling the decorating. It was a painless process for the two princes, and they were glad to be relieved of most of the stress.

All they had to do was survive the ceremony and bond their sparks once they retired for the night.

"Look at the back," Jazz whispered under the Prime's blessing.

Thundercracker turned his head away from his intended, slightly, to look out over their guests. His optics widened as he saw his eldest brother perched on the balcony railing.

"Told you he'd come," the Praxian whispered again, happily.

 

10.

Thundercracker laid his hands of his cockpit canopy, smiling softly at the warmth of the newspark growing next to his. Sentinel's chief physician had warned them that they would be unlikely to ever kindle any offspring due to the damage Jazz's spark had suffered when Ricochet had died, but their newspark was very much alive and healthy. Their greatest concern now was how to frame it, once the hatchling emerged from its growth pod.

"You should give it the dual-frame transformation technology that has just been perfected at the Academy of Sciences." The blue Seeker's peaceful reflection was broken by the sound of his brother's voice. "You should also be more careful about locking your balcony doors. That would be far too easy for an assassin."

"I suppose you would know," Thundercracker replied, turning to frown at Starscream. 

"Some people seem to think I am a poor Winglord." the elder Seeker shrugged, as if three attempts on his life didn't matter. "Sunstorm was quite upset when he wasn't able to perform your bonding ceremony, you know. He's quite insistent that he performed the traditional hatching blessing, even if he has to come here to do it."

"I'm sure Zeta won't mind that." The blue Seeker studied his brother, trying to figure out the smaller Seeker's reason for the unannounced visit. There was no way it would _only_ be about the sparkling. "He'd probably like speaking with a priest who lives outside the temple."

"Yes, well. The Prime will have to travel to Vos then, because I assured Sunstorm that he wouldn't need to travel further than the Holiday Palace in Lower Vos to perform the ceremony. "

"What?"

"The Holiday Palace, you remember it." Starscream waved a hand. "Imported stone towers, split levels for ground frames and flight frames, the fountain fed by the underground reservoir. It's close enough to Praxus for Jazz to visit his family and far enough from Skywarp’s estate that he'll stay out if your house. Mostly. It's really very ideal for your little family, especially if you take my advice on frame options."

Thundercracker blinked. "Star, I want you to pretend I'm Skywarp for a klik and tell me what you really mean. Because I don't want to get my hopes up."

"I'm saying," the Winglord sounded exasperated, "That you can come home. Bring your bondmate and your house staff and live in the Holiday Palace. It's ...what I should have done in the first place. You shouldn't have needed to choose."

The offer was deeply touching, but he knew he couldn't say yes immediately. "I have a life here now. I'm one of Sentinel's advisors, I oversee trade negotiations and--"

"And I need someone to do those things for me! I can't keep a staff, or a body servant or even a scribe! I can't be Winglord on my own!" Starscream looked stricken at the confession. "I need you. Please."

The fact that his brother had broken down enough to ask for help swayed Thundercracker's wavering decision. "I can't say yes right away. Jazz may not want to live in Vos. And there are a couple of things I have to wrap up here before I could leave."

"But you aren't saying no."

"No, I'm not saying no."

"Good. I'll have the servants begin sweeping out the Holiday Palace."

Thundercracker sighed. Some things weren't worth arguing with his brother over.


End file.
